Another Week Ahead

I didn't really want to get up today. I wanted to lie in bed with my shoulders and hands hurting. I helped Mike in the yard on Saturday and I moved some stones out of the yard. They're landscape kind of stones, heavy and awkward to move. They have lined the drive and flower beds for 20 years, being moved as the need arose. I'm done. I'm not moving them anymore. I'm getting rid of them. My friend at work asked me if she could have some and I said all you want.

Mike went to Connie's to meet her folks. She said she is going to teach Mike to sign. Her parents are totally deaf and it is their only way to communicate. It will be good for Mike to learn to sign. We thought about it when he was young but with all the other learning problems and no way to get help with the hearing issue we never did it. It might have helped him if we had done it. 

He seems so happy and relaxed around her. Very quiet and calm but she seems to be a quiet person. I have several concerns. Mike's not just hearing impaired, he's learning disabled. He had very real issues with it. My biggest concern is Connie has never been to church in her life. Well, think about it. Her parents were totally deaf. If there is no ministry to reach out to them, they wouldn't understand anyway. Mike's whole life has been filled with it. I do not want him to lose that. I don't think she'd deliberately keep him out but it is easy to fall away. We really like her a lot and it is always good to see Mike happy. 

Of course, Dave, Becca and I are all walking on eggshells in fear he will be hurt again. Dave, who is very macho and never shows any concern seems to be worried about it this time. But then that last crazy person really did a number on all of us. I don't really think I can handle that anymore. I'm tired of seeing him hurt and I keep asking how much someone like Mike has to suffer before something good happens to them.

I'm really tired this morning. And wishing I had the time to take off. If all goes well, I will try again to go somewhere for the weekend. I really wanted to go this weekend but I felt like I should stay home and see how Mike was doing and learn something about this woman he's seeing. I'm glad I did.

As I said, we like her a lot and I do think she is a very grounded and positive person. She divorced her husband after 18 years of marriage. He had an affair with his boss. She told me that she would have tried to work it out but he said he was bored with her. They have three daughters and he doesn't bother to see the two youngest. The oldest one has gone to live with Connie's parents because she's angry with her mother for divorcing her dad. Mike told me yesterday that as a result of the affair, the guy lost his job and was now employed at Wal-mart (for those who don't know a huge discount department store in the US -- low prices, low wages). I guess what goes around comes around. Connie got the house and car.

So, my plan is to try for this coming week. I really want to find a good hotel and relax. I've told Kat to think about coming down one weekend and we can do something together or just sit around an talk. Maybe when it cools off some. The patio is nice then. And my other friend here, Just Cassandra (who is only about two or three hours from me) and I are planning to meet in Vincennes once the weather cools a bit. Too hot to sight see at this point. I've never been to Vincennes so don't know what there is to do there. Nina is around Nashville. I should try and pop down there, too. She mentioned it. It is only about three hours to Nashville from here. I know nothing about Nashville but I suspect she could point me to something interesting. And a good hotel. You know that is the hardest part. Some places are nasty and smelly. But you don't know till you get there. Some are in really bad areas but if you don't know the area you won't know it's dangerous.

So, I got some places to run away to and friends there to meet. If they keep the invites open. And if I get really adventurous, Grammy and Nancy are the next distant. And of course, I am still planning to go to England next year. I've told everyone that is my treat to myself. Over there is Jilly, Cass, Katey, and Wendy! I hope I didn't leave anyone out? These are the ones who've issued invitations.

I got to meet Lisa and Cheryl earlier in the summer and that was so nice. We had a nice picnic in the park and got to visit. Both are fairly close by. I should make plans to visit them, too. I love the fall and spring because that is the best time to do weekend trips. I just have used up so  much of my vacation and all my sick time. I've got to stop  getting sick!

Did I mention I spent Sunday afternoon at Doug's house. He invited me on Friday and I said I'd go. So that got me out for a few hours, too. This is the second time I've had a chance to talk with Sharon and she is just so sweet. Both of them are just so very nice to me. Doug has been a really good friend this past year and a half, going to lunch now and then and having him as a part of the writer's group, letting me use him as a sounding board for my story knots, emailing to check on me. So it was really nice to sit and talk with both of them about the writing and what had been going on with all of us. I really enjoyed it.

I've spent most of the day writing this in hit or miss fashion. It is rather long but is the summation of the weekend. I got to bed about midnight.

Oh, my mother fell and has a severe head injury. They've put her in the hospital but I don't know how bad it really is. Apparently, bleeding on the brain. She is always falling you may recall if you have been reading the blog long. This appears to have been at church and she may have hit her head on the pew. I'm just not sure at this point. Keep her in your prayers. I think my sister, Stuck in the Middle, has posted it on her blog, too.

Hope you all have a good week. I'll be around here somewhere.